Postlude
Concluding piece; an afterpiece.
What it means
A postlude is a concluding instrumental piece. In church services it denotes the organ music that sounds after the blessing while the congregation leaves the church. In a song or aria, the postlude is the part of the accompaniment that continues after the last sung note and concludes the piece. It stands as the counterpart of the prelude, the introductory piece.
Musical use
In the art song (Kunstlied) the postlude is often more than a close: it comments on what has been said, prolongs the thought or leaves it open. Some songs gain their real meaning only in these last bars, when the voice falls silent and the piano speaks alone.
In church the postlude has a different, practical function: it accompanies the exit and should be chosen accordingly in length and character, festive pieces after great feasts, restrained ones after funeral services. As a genre in its own right the postlude is not fixed: any suitable piece can take this place.
Other names
Postludium is the Latin form, and the piece is also called an afterpiece or, in German, Nachspiel. The English word is used especially for the organ postlude in church services.
Performance practice
In a song, the postlude is part of the overall conception: do not play it as an addition but keep the tension beyond the last sung note and plan the ending consciously. Singer and accompanist should agree how long the mood is held before attention relaxes. In church, choose a postlude that suits the occasion and lasts as long as the congregation needs to leave.